My favorite Queen Anne boutique is hosting their semi-annual Friends & Family sale next Friday from 6-10pm. Food, drinks, shopping and music by DJ Mullet make this a do-not-miss event on the hill. Party guests will enjoy 25% off all purchases in honor of QAD's 25 years in business from brands including Butter London, La Licious, French Connection, Knitted Dove, Covet, Stephanie Johnson, Kelsi Dagger, Nicole footwear, Sanuk, Jonathan Adler, Costa Blanca and many more including special buys brought in just for the sale! Add this event to your calendar and join one of Seattle's best boutiques as they celebrate in style and help you stock up on all your summer wardrobe essentials!

This Ballard menswear boutique recently made GQ's list of the top 25 Mens Stores in America. This week's Farmers Market gave us a prime opportunity to check out what's in-stock-now at Blackbird.

This classic pocket tee by Obey is the perfect way to wear stripes this season. This shirt pairs perfectly with jeans, chinos or even (in Ballard or Capitol Hill) with cut-off denim shorts.

Once you convert to a zip wallet you'll never go back. This little number by Comme des Garcons is made in Spain and features genuine, smooth grain leather. Girls on the go could even use this in lieu of a clutch.

In addition to stocking your house with fresh flowers each week we also recommend keeping your home smelling fresh with the Gardenia scented candle from Diptyque. This French candle has 60+ hours of burn time which means you won't need to replace it as often as the flowers you picked up from the Farmers Market.

If you're looking for a sweet update to Thierry Mugler's 'Angel' perfume check out the 'Chocolate Greedy'unisex fragrance by Montale. With notes of vanilla bean, coffee bean, cacao bean, tonka bean and vanilla this sensual fragrance smells like a chocolate lovers dream. The bottle is pretty easy on the eyes as well. (Available at The Field House.)

Add a little interest to your your next dinner party with a set of plates by ceramic artist Laura Zindel. They're so pretty you might even want to buy a few extra to mount on the wall as an impromptu art installation. These plates are durable enough for everyday use but the real bonus is that they're microwave and dishwasher safe too.

For many people Memorial Day Weekend is the official kick-off to summer. Technically the summer season doesn't begin until the solstice on June 20th but either way, the 3-day Memorial Day weekend is a great time to make the formal shift to your summer wardrobe if you haven't done so already. Here are 5 items that need to be part of your summer-time wardrobe mix.

This year the wedge is a summer footwear essential. Go for neutral colors that you can get a lot of mileage out of like this pair (shown above) from Via Spiga. A neutral wedge can be worn with everything this season from a maxi dress to a pair of brightly colored denim.

One of the trends I'm loving this season is the high/low maxi dress. It's the perfect hybrid between a mini and maxi and it's great on women of all shapes and sizes. Petite girls who are normally overwhelmed by a maxi dress can finally dabble in the trend and the tall ladies out there can pull an Angelina Jolie and show off a little leg. This dress (shown above) by ALTERNATIVE is a poly/cotton/rayon blend with racer back styling. It's the perfect compromise when you can't decide on what type of dress to wear.

Sunglasses are one of my favorite accessories. My dresser is home to at least six different pairs at any given time. Protect your pretty peepers in style this summer with sunglasses from one of your favorite designers like these (shown above) from Alexander McQueen. Showcasing a signature gold skull and red frames these glasses add a little bit of attitude to any outfit.

This summer your handbag needs to possess three things: color, texture and hardware. This Kate Spade quilted leather bag (shown above) nails all three. Featuring a long, crossbody chain and gold hardware this little number will add a pop of color to your wardrobe and remain completely on-trend for fall.

After far too many seasons without color the beauty industry is more excited than anyone that it's finally back. Tangerine nails, coral lipstick, and purple eyeshadow should all have a place in your make-up bag this season. If you've been waiting for the perfect time to bring out your color cosmetics this is it! Just be sure to limit color to one feature (eyes, lips, cheeks) at a time to avoid color overload.

Say goodbye to the days when your had to schlep to work in your "commuter shoes" only to change into your stylish shoes upon arrival. A second pair of shoes takes up too much space in your bag and let's face it, who wants to decide what pair of shoes to wear based on the weather outside? If you live in Seattle, chances are it's raining. Or will rain. Or has rained the night before. That alone makes me pretty sure the new line of Stylish Shoe covers by Grace Carter is going to catch on quickly with the fashion circuit in the Pacific Northwest- or anywhere in the world where weather is a factor when it comes to fashion. The line made it's debut last fall and Travel + Leisure has already voted this product the "best travel accessory" of 2012.

The shoe covers comes in three silhouettes (round toe, pointed toe and ballet flat) to fit any type of shoe. They fold flat to be stored in a special Grace Carter pouch until their next use which means that the days of carrying around an extra pair of shoes is officially over. Grace Carter shoe covers use innovative, water-resistant material to protect your favorite footwear from rain and snow plus they have stylish, diamond-shaped traction on the sole to keep you from slipping in wet weather conditions. The stretch fabric makes them easy to slip on over your shoes and the back zip helps them slide off with ease once you arrive at your destination. The shoe covers will even fit up to a 5-inch stiletto heel and they're available in classic black or a chic leopard print.

Founder Deborah Haslam came up with the idea of creating stylish shoe covers after finding herself tip-toeing through unsavory weather conditions knowing that there had to be a better way to protect her favorite shoes without sacrificing her personal style. The company is named after her daughter, Grace, and her son, Carter.

The Stylish Shoe Covers by Grace Carter are a game changer. No more worrying about ruining your suede pumps when rain showers dominate the forecast. This means you now can sing (and dance) in the rain without worrying about ruining your shoes!

The 2012 Zumiez Couch Tour kicks off this weekend at Alderwood Mall in Lynnwood. The free festival will hit 12 cities during it's summer tour and feature pro skate demos, live music, DIY activities, prizes, giveaways and a chance to interact with brands including Neff, Oakley, Skullcandy and Skateboarding Magazine among others.For the latest news and event updates follow on Twitter @ZumiezCouchTour.

Back for the 4th year in a row the highly anticipated Save the Girls designer bra fashion show will return to the runway at PNK Ultra Lounge on Sunday, June 17th. Models will be outfitted in creatively designed bras made by local media personalities and Seattle socialities including Brooke Fox of MOViN 92.5, Laura Cassidy, Fashion Editor of Seattle Metropolitan magazine, Christie Johnson of King 5 News, Lisa Hunter of NBC’s Fashion Star, Jenni Hogan of KIRO 7, Kaci Aitchison of Q-13, and many more! Guests will sip on signature cocktails, pose for photos on the pink carpet and participate in the evening’s raffle and silent auction to help make a difference for women in the community by raising money for the Puget Sound affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Brooke and Jubal of MOViN 92.5, Seattle’s most listened to morning show, will emcee the event for the second year in a row and unveil bras designed by morning show listeners! The evening promises to be exciting, inspirational, playful and provocative. Help Seattle “Save the Girls” and get your tickets now!

While most consumers are busy trying to decide what fashion trends to indulge themselves in this spring the fashion industry is placing it's bets on what trends will be major this fall. Last night the Seattle Chapter of Fashion Group International held it's semi-annual trend forecasting event featuring a video recap of fall trends followed by a panel discussion featuring Seattle style experts Sarah Caples (Owner, Impeccable Style), Cece Gehrig (Fashion Director, Endless.com), Melissa Middleton (Editor, JNSQ magazine) and Patricia Wolfkill (Owner, Merge). Major fashion themes for Fall '12 include a continuation of color, menswear inspired apparel and accessories for women, computer generated prints, the new three-piece suit, the evolution of the peplum, a resurgence of velvet, and the luxurious return of brocade. Seattleites need not worry about a complete wardrobe shift from spring to fall. In fact, as seen in many of the runway shows- there's a little bit of something for everyone and as usual, almost anything goes. The military-inspired trend will continue to be relevant and look refreshed next season when paired with the perfect piece of leather that best suits your style, perhaps a leather top as shown at Alexander Wang or a leather dress as seen at Michael Kors.

In terms of Seattle specific trends that are wearable for fall, stylist Sarah Caples loves the three-piece suit shown on the runway by Ralph Lauren, telling the audience, "It's perfect for Seattle because when it gets cold you can add layers and still look amazing."

Girly girls will love the opulence that accompanies fall fashion trends in the form of texture (velvet, fur, exotic animal skin, feathers, lace), color (ox blood, citrine, teal, royal blue, purple, gold), and accessories (jeweled brooches, elbow length gloves, statement necklaces, jeweled heels). Getting dressed up this fall promises to be a lot of fun with so many ways to mix and match the trends.

"For fall anything goes," says Melissa Middleton of JNSQ, "You can pull things form your closet and literally re-style them!" She loves the menswear inspired trend for fall including all the tailoring, trousers and fitted suits. "Everything needs to be tailored!" piped in Patricia from Merge boutique in Fremont.

Although many fashion fans felt that the collections seen on the runway for Fall '12 were a major mismatch of trends, Cece Gehrig, Fashion Director of Endless.com offered this explanation,"What you're seeing is the designers reaction to fast fashion and how absurd it can be." And she's right. The entire industry is moving full speed ahead in a million directions at once. (And these days, aren't we all?)

Coming as a shock to no one that knows her, the fall favorite for Patricia of Merge was the overabundance of leather seen on the runway. Taking on many shapes and forms for fall the leather top as shown above by Michael Kors was one of the crowd favorites at last night's event.

One of the trends I'm most excited about is the carry-over of the peplum as seen above on the runway at Lavin. Etro showed the peplum as it evolved into a belt, while Dior chose to make it's peplum update in the form of a jacket.

So many trends to choose from, so little time to shop. Need a strategy? Take a tip from Cece of Endless.com and think about your seasonal fashion buys in terms of portions. "Think about your trendy items for the season as your dessert, then think about your core items as dinner. There should be a good balance in your wardrobe. And besides, [for many women] accessories are the most realistic way to wear a trend." Well said. We couldn't agree more!

Diana Vreeland often referred to as the “High Priestess of Fashion” became a fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar in 1936 and went on to become one of the most spirited and celebrated fashion editors in history setting the pace for future fashion editors including Anna Wintour. In a new documentary about her life, Diana Vreeland:The Eye has To Travel, viewers are given an intimate look in Vreeland's life in her own words in addition to insights from former colleagues and beloved friends including Andy Warhol, Diane Sawyer, and Manolo Blahnik. The film is part of the Seattle International Film Festival and will be coming to the Pacific Place AMC on Friday, May 18th at 1:30pm. Advance tickets are on sale now. Follow on Twitter for a daily dose of DV quotes @dvdianavreeland.

Don't miss the Herve Leger trunk show tonight featuring beautiful cocktail and evening dresses which pair perfectly with the new line of Anne Sylvain genuine exotic skin clutches. The trunk show will take place from 7-9pm and include a showcase of the latest trends on live models and an exclusive gift with purchase. Refreshments provided by Blue Martini. Email david@david-lawrence.com or call 425.688.1669 to reserve your spot.

The semi-annual Fashion Group International trend event will take place at The Art Institute of Seattle on Wednesday, May 16th from 5:30-7:30pm. The event will focus on Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear fashion trendsstraight from the runways of New York, London, Paris, and Milan. A panel of speakers will provide insights on how the trends relate to the Seattle market and how to wear them in real life. Confirmed panelists include Patricia Wolfkill, owner of Merge boutique, Melissa Middleton, Editor in Chief of JNSQ magazine, Sarah Caples, Owner of Impeccable Image and Style, plus CeCe Gehrig, Fashion Director for Endless.com.

Fashion Group International is a global, non-profit networking organization for fashion industry professionals. For more information on the Seattle Chapter, visit Seattle.fgi.org.

Local clothing line Two Dog Island is hosting a warehouse sale in Seattle May 17-19th featuring deep discounts and door prizes. Come peruse the large assortment of cotton tees, knit tops, jackets, pants, sweaters and more. Parking is free and the best merchandise goes fast some come early and be prepared to shop!

What: Two Dog Island Warehouse Sale

When:Thursday, May 17th from 12 pm-6 pmFriday, May 18th from 12pm-6pmSaturday, May 19th from 9am-3pm

Where: 708 S. Homer St. across from the Georgetown Playfield. Take I-5 south to Corson/Michigan exit (just north of Boeing Field). Turn right on Michigan St. Continue 1 block and turn right on 6th Ave. Continue to Orcas St. and turn right. Go 2 blocks to Padilla St. and turn left. This street will dead end into the parking lot of the warehouse building. Two Dog Island is located halfway down the building.

Details: Parking is free. Bring a friend! This sale is open to the public. Bring a bag for your purchases.

Never mind that she's just flown across the country in time to make a personal appearance at tonight's Wine, Women and Shoes event, or the fact that she was literally "Sleepless in Seattle" last night. NBC Style expert Bobbie Thomas is in good spirits and ready to make some new girlfriends in the Emerald City.

The "Bobbie's Buzz" segments featured on The Today Show include a range of beauty, fashion and lifestyle products that have surfaced as a result of the countless hours of research Bobbie and her team spend in pursuit of little gems that make life easier and more fun. The agreement amongst the team is that they only feature products they would actually use in real life. "When we get together [to plan segments] it feels like a sisterhood,"says Bobbie, "Everyone is included in the conversation, even the interns."

Bobbie loves helping to spread the word about new products. She understands the validation that on-air segments can provide to companies looking to take their business to the next level. "I love giving brands their moment," says Bobbie. This is also why her segments on the show are not scripted. Everything is genuine- she truly believes in the products she showcases and uses each segment as an opportunity to connect viewers with great new products that enlighten and inspire.

Her favorite fashion trend of the season is COLOR. She loves seeing the rainbow of shades that are readily available in stores this season after being absent for far too long. "Color makes you happy. It's so uplifting!" says Bobbie. For some people color might be a "trend", but according to Bobbie when you find the right color that completely brings out your eyes and skin tone, color can instantly become a "classic" in your wardrobe. "Now is the time to invest in colors that look great on you," says Bobbie, "I love seeing women wear color to express their mood and personality!"

In addition to her love of fashion Bobbie also adores beauty products. Here are her top 3 beauty product must-haves:

1- The MAC by Matt Murphy make-up bag. This bag was designed exclusively for MAC and offers women on-the-go a way to mobilize their make-up case. "I love that this make-up bag has a handle like a purse!" says Bobbie.

2- Glo Minerals pressed base face powder. "I've been using this for 10 years. I love the coverage and always come back to this product," says Bobbie. (She also adds that she can't live without the Glo Minerals under eye concealer.)

3- Kate Somerville "ExfoliKate". An exfoliating treatment that smooths and softens skin plus helps with discoloration. "Skincare is so important to me. I love color cosmetics and other products but keeping your skin as a flawless canvas is so important! This product is great!" says Bobbie.

Bobbie Thomas is the total package. She's smart, sweet, and completely down to earth. Her beauty and style tips are one-of-a-kind and her personal brand of beauty radiates from within. She often refers to herself as a "Fashion + Beauty Expert, and professional girlfriend." I couldn't agree more. "It isn't just a job if it's what you like. I have so many moments where I stop and just feel grateful," says Bobbie, "I love what I do."

Find out what goes on Behind the Scenes with Bobbie by visiting Behind the Buzz. You can also catch up with Bobbi on Twitter @BobbieThomas. A select group of lucky VIP's will get to meet her in person tonight at the Wine, Women and Shoes event taking place at The Four Seasons.

Mark your calendars! David Lawrence is hosting a special Herve Leger trunk show next Friday, May 11th from 7-9pm. The evening will include a showcasing of the latest trends on live models and an exclusive gift with purchase.Refreshments provided by Blue Martini. Email david@david-lawrence.com or call 425.688.1669 to reserve your spot.

Super mom (and supermodel) Heidi Klum has partnered with Babies 'R' Us on a new line of products that will make their debut this fall. The "Truly Scrumptious" line will feature clothing, linens, nursery accessories, bath toys and even a stroller among other items. Clothing from the line will range in size from 0-24 months up to a selection of playwear for kids 2-5 years old. The collection is organized by three different motifs including pastels with butterflies, pink and orange boho style patterns, and magical dinosaurs for the boys. To promote the line Heidi will make in-store appearances in New York, Florida and California. The collection is scheduled to hit stores in September. Mark your calendars!

Meet Sydney

Sydney Mintle is a fashion blogger based in Seattle. She began writing about the local shopping scene back in 2008 and has been sharing her love of indie designers and boutiques with readers all over the world ever since.